PG Bisham fires back at High Court
High Court threatened to take action against the PG, at a hearing held on April 30
Prosecutor General, Aishath Bisham
Prosecutor General Aishath Bisham has fired back at the High Court, after it threatened action against her.
At an appeal hearing held on April 30, of one of the officers charged in connection with the 2015 presidential speedboat explosion, High Court judge Mohamed Niyaz said that “changing stand at appeal process could lead to action against the prosecutor general.”
Speaking to the media on this, PG Bisham denied the court’s claim and said that they “have never changed stands in a case at the same court.”
She noted that both the Constitution and the Prosecutor General’s Act “clearly states” that the prosecutor general has the authority to impose and withdraw a charge, as well as to change and review a decision.
She added that the PG “will not change a stand without a valid reason.”
While the High Court accuses the prosecutor general of changing stands, the state recently asked to overturn the guilty verdict against former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb over possession of a pistol, saying that there was not enough evidence to convict him. He was sentenced to 10 years in 2016.
The request was made during the final stages of the appeal process, at the Supreme Court.
Last year, Supreme Court overturned a weapons possession conviction against former Defence Minister Mohamed Nazim, after the state admitted that he had been convicted wrongfully.
